Brushes are well known for use as an aid in scrubbing objects, whether the object is large or small. Various designs are known for brushes specifically intended for cleaning objects such as toilet bowls and laundry sinks. Many brushes are intended for use with an additional cleaning agent. Cleaning agents are available generally in either liquid, powder, or solid form. Liquid cleaning agents work solely by dissolving contaminants on a surface and must of necessity be provided in a concentrated form so that, when added to water, they will retain sufficient strength to be effective. These concentrated liquids present a safety hazard to the typical household, especially significant in households having small children or pets. While cleaning implements with a sponge connected to a reservoir for liquid soap are known, there are no similar implements for use with solid cleaning agents.
Powdered cleaning agents, such as scrubbing powders or “cleansers”, typically must be placed onto a brush, rag, sponge, or other implement, then quickly used to cleanse a surface before the powder is washed off of the implement. What is needed instead is a cleaning agent suitable for use with a brush, sponge or rag-like implement that maintains sufficient integrity when immersed in water to allow sufficient time for a thorough cleaning activity.
Solid cleaning agents are typically soft friable natural or synthetic stones that disintegrate in use, releasing abrasive particles which perform a cleansing action when scrubbed across a surface. These stones do not exhibit surfactant, disinfectant, deodorizing or sanitizing properties, and natural stones typically provide a variable abrasive medium because of the natural variability of the stone.
What is needed is a cleaning apparatus that combines a scrubbing capability of a brush with a cleaning agent that can be safely stored, provide a predictable cleaning action, and will last sufficiently long to allow for a thorough scrubbing activity.
Effervescent products, such as effervescent bath salts, are represented by U.S. Pat. No. 6,121,215 to Rau. Rau teaches an effervescent foaming bath product comprised of a base such as a carbonate or bicarbonate, an organic acid, and an anhydrous surfactant, compressed into a form having a specific gravity slightly less than that of water. Rau does not suggest, teach or motivate a practitioner to apply the foaming bath product to a cleanser use.